QNAP TS-469L Network Attached Storage Device Review

NAS devices have come a long way in the past several years. What used to be a bunch of hard drives plugged into a motherboard with an Ethernet NIC and a power port, running a stripped down Linux kernel with a few fileshare services running has expanded to these comparative monstrosities with connectivity galore: USB ports, eSATA ports, multiple NICs, and now HDMI. A NAS isn’t so much a NAS any longer: it’s a multimedia computer not just suited for the office closet, but for the living room, as well.

The QNAP TS-469L, combined with QTS 4.0.1, wants to be in your living room. It wants to be your multimedia machine, storing the things you want to see on your television, be those things cast from your laptop, HTPC, or streaming device, or shown directly from the device itself.

In this review, we’ll go into light depth on many of the features of the QNAP TS-469L, but also QTS 4.0.1, as this is the first QNAP product review we’ve done since the overhauled firmware was released several weeks ago.

Packaging
The QNAP TS-469L comes in a white box, a welcome deviation from the black boxes of yore. The TS-469L is marketed at the small and medium business market, as well as the prosumer home market, and its feature set highlights reflect that: DLNA and VMWare compatibility, HDMI out, and much more. The sides and rear of the box try to fit as much of the features and specifications list in it as possible.

QNAP has always had excellent packaging, and this unit is no exception. Protective cardboard and styrofoam everywhere. The package includes the NAS itself, two Ethernet cables, a remote control (!!), a power cable, two bags of screws (one for 3.5” drives and one for 2.5” drives), a CD-ROM with firmware, and a quick start guide.

For a full video unboxing and overview be sure to check out our video below!